all about canadian books
on YouTube
If you LOVE books...I interview new & established authors to find out the
author's story (SO fun to get to know them) & the story behind their book.
Let's Get to Know Elaine KennedyHi! Today all about canadian books we’re going to get know Elaine Kennedy the translator for Under a Kabul Sky: Short Fiction by Afghan Women. A native of Toronto now living in Victoria, Elaine Kennedy studied English literature, French language and civilization, as well as translation in North America and Europe. She has worked as a translator and editor in numerous fields. Today, she focuses on literary translation. The Story Behind Under a Kabul SkyElaine discusses how she became involved in this unique project, her translation process for Under a Kabul Sky and how very special this project is as it brings the voices of women writers who are not often heard to readers. These twelve short stories dive deep into imaginary worlds where everyday life is marked and marred by war. They speak of wounded love, captured women, confinement, talismans, borders, wolves. They give expression to the voices of Afghan women who would like to change the fate of people like Nâzboo, Khorshid, Hamid and so many others. Originally published by Éditions Le Soupirail in 2019, this collection was the first volume of short stories by Afghan women to appear in France. This edition from Inanna Publications brings these stories—and their unique perspectives—to English-speaking readers for the first time. The collection includes stories by Wasima Badghisi, Batool Haidari, Alia Ataee, Sedighe Kazemi, Khaleda Khorsand, Masouma Kawsari, Mariam Mahboob, Toorpekai Qayum, Manizha Bakhtari, Homeira Qaderi, Parween Pazhwak and Homayra Rafat. Under a Kabul Sky was a Finalist, 2022 International Book Awards– Multicultural Fiction.  For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there.
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Let's Get To Know...On today's episode of all about canadian books let's get to know Canadian author Dr. Anita Jack-Davies and learn the story behind her memoir Lawrencia’s Last Parang: A Memoir of Loss and Belonging as a Black Woman in Canada Dr. Anita was born in Toronto, Ontario, and spent her formative years on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, but returned to Canada at eleven years old. In 1998, she became a teacher and spent five years as an educator with the Toronto District School Board before returning to graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Education. She is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Urban Planning at Queen’s University and is Director, Strategic Partnerships & Development at Ryerson University. She has taught courses in the areas of black feminisms, feminist pedagogies and race and racism. The Story Behind Lawrencia's Last ParangLawrencia’s Last Parang: A Memoir of Loss and Belonging as a Black Woman in Canada is a snapshot of Dr. Anita’s life after the grandmother who raised her passed away. Her book is a memoir, a eulogy, and an academic analysis, the book offers an insightful exploration of race in Canada. After listening to Dr. Anita speak about what it's like to be black and living in Canada I was speechless. It is having difficult conversations such as this and learning from them that we can aspire to make the world a better place for all. I am so very grateful for my time with this brave and inspiring woman. Lawrencia's Last Parang will be published by Inanna Publications on June 20, 2023!  Thanks SO much for watching. A HUGE thank you to Anita .
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Let's get to know the fabulous Canadian women behind the fiction novel A Knife in the Skye. To honour and to celebrate Black History Month it was such an honour to speak with the lovely and inspiring prize-winning Haitian-Québécoise author, Marie-Célie Agnant and translator Katia Grubisic, who is also an award-winning writer and editor. Marie-Célie Agnant BackgroundMarie-Célie Agnant is a poet, short story writer, young adult fiction writer, storyteller, and novelist, Marie-Célie Agnant was born in Haiti and has lived in Québec since 1970. Many of her books evoke the hardships endured by women in the West Indies and the difficulty of legitimizing this part of history even today. Her work has been published in Québec, France, and Haiti, and translated into several languages. Her novel Le dot de Sara (Remue-Ménage, 1995) was a finalist for the Desjardins prize, her collection of short stories Le silence comme le sang (Remue-Ménage, 1997) was a finalist for the Governor General’s prize for fiction, and she has won the Prix Gros Sel for her children’s book La légende du poisson amoureux (Mémoire d’encrier, 2003), the prose creation prize awarded by the SODEP for “Sofialorène, si loin de la délivrance,” and the prestigious Prix Alain-Grandbois for her third collection of poems Femmes des terres brûlées (Éditions de la Pleine Lune, 2016). Katia Grubisic Background Katia Grubisic's work has appeared in various Canadian and international publications including The Walrus, The Fiddlehead, The Globe and Mail, Grain, The Spoon River Poetry Review, and Prairie Fire. Her collection What if red ran out (Goose Lane Editions, 2008) was shortlisted for the A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry and won the 2009 Gerald Lampert award for best first book. Her book translations include Louis Patrick Leroux’s play False Starts: A Subterfuge of Excellent Wit (with Alexandre St-Laurent; Talonbooks, 2016), Martine Delvaux’s White Out (LLP, 2018), Jeanne Painchaud’s ABCMTL (ruelle, 2019), Stéphane Martelly’s Little Girl Gazelle (ruelle, 2020), Ioana Georgescu’s Daughterof Here (LLP, 2020), and Marie-Claire Blais’s Songs for Angel (House of Anansi, 2021). Her translations of David Clerson’s first novel, Brothers (QC Fiction, 2016), and of Alina Dumitrescu’s A Cemetery for Bees (LLP, 2021) were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for translation.  The Story Behind A Knife in the SkyIn A Knife in the Sky, a journalist’s decision to talk and a student’s desire to know puts them in the crosshairs of a murderous dictatorship. As the novel opens, Mika is dangerously engaged in the pursuit of truth during Haiti’s first Duvalier regime. Nearly thirty years later, her granddaughter Junon witnesses the repressive dynasty’s unravelling. Brutal, terrifying, and hopeful, A Knife in the Sky is an homage to those who have survived tyranny. Originally published by Éditions du Remue-ménage in 2015 as Femmes au temps des carnassiers, this book, like most of the author’s oeuvre, is preoccupied with colonial imposition. Marie-Célie Agnant writes on the ruthlessness of a dictatorship, on humanity, and locates the strength and power of resistance in women. Don't miss Marie-Célie share how real life Haitian journalist Yvonne Hakim Rimpel was the inspiration behind this novel. Thanks SO much for watching. A BIG merci beaucoup to Marie-Célie Agnant and Katia Grubisic .
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Today all about canadian books we’re going to get to know Nancy Lam, the author of The Loyal Daughter, which was published by At Bay Press. Nancy Lam is a Toronto author. As a child and teenager, she lost herself in stories by Canadian writers, in university she majored in Canadian History to earn a Bachelor of Arts before acquiring her law degree. As an immigration lawyer she now helps prospective Canadians write and present their life stories to government officials.  The Story Behind...The Loyal Daughter is Nancy's first novel and it is based on her mother’s immigration story to Canada. It's a fictional memoir told from the perspective of mother, daughter, and granddaughter. From 1940’s communist China, Hong Kong to the present day and it's a beautiful tribute to Nancy's mother and her life. Happy New Year! Wishing all a prosperous and joyous year of the rabbit. This episode is in loving memory and dedicated to Nancy's Mom. Thanks SO much for watching. A BIG thanks to Nancy.
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. The Story Behind...Behind every book is a great story. So let's find out the story behind author Janet Trull's short story collection Something’s Burning. Janet Trull has won several writing awards, including a CBC Canada Writes challenge, a Western Magazine Award nomination and a Commonwealth Fiction prize. Hot Town and Other Stories, her debut collection of short fiction, was published by At Bay Press. Trull’s new book, Something’s Burning, was a CBC Recommended Read for Fall 2022 and was also published by At Bay Press. Something’s Burning is an examination of relationships within communities. The twenty-first century speeds ahead with fast-changing ideas about culture and identity, and a new choir of voices are telling their long-suppressed stories. Outdated belief systems are challenged. Society norms and hierarchies crumble. But fresh ideas cause tension between generations, sexes, races and neighbours. The population is at odds about the revised script. Is it the end of misogyny, or the end of men? Is it the end of social injustice or the end of loyalty? Is it the end of discrimination or the end of common sense? Some characters in these stories are oblivious to social change. Some are committed to stopping it. Some are invested in promoting their agendas at all cost. The bumper stickers on pick up trucks in the Foodland parking lot warn you that conflict awaits in the cereal aisle. The spacious landscapes where these stories take place are big enough for many opinions, but small enough to fall back on nostalgic principles. They represent the spectrum of joy and loss, and the author’s enduring love for those who can find a balance between them. For Backroad Stories and Conversations from Canada's Rural Roots  I LOVE the cover of this book! It was nice to meet you, Charlie.
For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Behind every book is a talented writer—when it comes to the thriller Stealing John Hancock we’ve got two. Let’s get to know…the dynamic mother-daughter writing duo Alie and Hejsa Christensen. Alie and Hejsa Christensen discovered their affinity for working together when they were in-house writers for a film production company. They have now made the leap from silver screen to printed page. Stealing John Hancock, is their first novel. It was published by Ravenstone, an imprint of Turnstone.  The Story Behind SJH...In this segment, we’ll find out the story behind Stealing John Hancock, Alie and Hejsa's creative process, (I bet you're wondering...do the mother daughter writing team have creative differences? I did and how do they resolve them), but before we do, Hejsa will explain the plot of this gripping thriller. Thanks SO much for watching. A BIG thanks to Alie & Hejsa.
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Behind every book is a talented writer and a great story and that’s what we’re here to discover. First-off, let’s get to know the author of the bestselling novel, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, Bianca Marais. Then, we’ll follow it up with, the story behind her book. Bianca Marais is a bestselling author, award-winning teacher, experienced guest speaker and cohost of the popular podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, which is aimed at helping emerging writers get published. OMG! Not only was The Witches of Moonshyne Manor a FUN read, Bianca's website offers a whole lot of fun too. There's a Witches of Moonshyne Manor Wordle and you can do a Which Witch are you quiz. The Story BehindIn this segment, we’ll find out the story behind Bianca’s third novel The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, but before we do Bianca's going to tell us what this fantastic novel ( I LOVED it) is about. Thanks SO much for watching. A HUGE thanks to Bianca and wishing all a festive holiday season.
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. We'll be kicking the new year off with the fabulous mother daughter writing duo Alie and Hejsa Christensen the authors of STEALING JOHN HANCOCK on January 10th. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Get To Know...Behind every book is a talented writer and a great story. In this segment, we’ll get to know author Tanis Rideout. Tanis Rideout is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author and poet. She was born in Belgium, grew up in Bermuda and Kingston, Ontario and now lives in the warmth of L.A. Her new novel The Sea Between Two Shores was published by McClelland & Stewart. Ready? Let's get to know Tanis. If you'd like to learn more about Tanis  What was the inspiration behind this novel?In this segment, we’ll get to know the story behind Tanis Rideout's latest novel THE SEA BETWEEN TWO SHORES. But before we find out, here's what her novel is about: In the early 1800s, a Nova Scotian couple arrives on the shores of an island in the Oceanic archipelago of what is now known as Vanuatu to convert the local Indigenous peoples. The arrival of these strangers leads to exchange and friction, cooperation and violence, culminating in a catastrophe the missionaries unwittingly unleash on the island. Two hundred years later in Toronto, the Stewarts are a family locked in mourning after the accidental drowning of their youngest son. When Michelle Stewart receives an unexpected call from the island of Iparei inviting the Stewarts to participate in a reconciliation ceremony for their respective ancestors, she accepts in a desperate effort to save herself and her family. On Iparei, we meet the Tabés, a ni-Vanuatu family who are themselves mourning the death of a child in the aftermath of a devastating cyclone, while worrying over the looming departure of another. As the ceremony approaches, the Tabés and the Stewarts will uncover their shared losses and failings, their fragile hopes for what a better future might hold, and the wounds that stand in the way of freeing themselves from the legacy of past betrayals. Heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and morally complex, The Sea Between Two Shores immerses us in the lives of two families connected as much by their desire for healing as by the actions of their ancestors. It is an extraordinary meditation on the complications of history, the possibilities for redemption, and the meaning of the stories we tell ourselves. Thanks SO much for watching. A BIG thanks to Tanis.
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. Bianca Marais the author of The Witches of Moonshyne Manor is up next on Dec. 13th! For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Get To Know...Behind every book is a talented writer and a great story. In this segment, we’ll get to know author Nataša Nuhanović. Nataša Nuhanović was born in Croatia. In 1994, amidst the Bosnian War (1992-1996), she moved to Germany and later to Canada. Natasa is a translator, interpreter, writer, producer and a director. The last few months have been CRAZY busy for her as her documentary film Close the Door premiered at Sarajevo International Film Festival and, her debut novel The Boy’s Marble was published by Guernica Editions. Are you ready? Let's get to know Nataša Nuhanović, watch her answer 10 questions. To learn more about Nataša  The Story Behind The Boy's MarbleIn this segment, we’ll get to know the story behind author Nataša Nuhanović's debut novel The Boy's Marble. The Boy’s Marble takes place in Bosnia during the war. A boy and girl promise to meet at midnight on a bench halfway between their apartments, and run away together, only the boy never comes. Twenty years later in Montreal, she meets someone who reminds her of the boy and wonders whether it could really be him. A brilliant anti-war story that wakes the reader in hope and love, and helps understand just how useless, meaningless and absurd war really is. Thanks SO much for watching. Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. Tanis Rideout author of The Sea Between Two Shores is up next on Nov. 22ND!
You can find all about canadian books on YouTube and don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get to Know Anne TaitBehind every book is a talented writer and a great story. And, in this segment of all about canadian books we'll get to know Anne Tait. The lovely Anne Tait is an award-winning film producer, screenwriter, novelist, playwright, broadcaster and casting director. Anne has cast many Canadian and U.S. movies and TV series, including Anne of Green Gables, Road to Avonlea, Margaret’s Museum, Wind at My Back, Terminator 2, the Composers, Inventors & Artists series, Ready or Not, Goosebumps [BTW...it was Ryan Gosling’s first role] and a Muppets show! She was casting director for the Stratford Festival and for Mirvish stage shows. She hosted a TV public affairs series and her own radio show for CBC. Anne’s plays have been produced on 7 Irish and Canadian stages and on CBC Radio. Her awards include People’s Choice and Best Picture from local and global film festivals, Gemini and Leo awards, 3 Emmy nominations, the Female Eye Film Festival’s Career Achievement and Victoria College’s Distinguished Alumna Award, and two Canadian Best Book awards. To learn more about Anne watch her answer some quick questions. Although we tend to think of bestselling books being made into movies, it was the opposite for Iron Road--movie first, then book. Anne shares how this came about in the story behind the book segment below. If you'd like to learn more about the movie 
The Story Behind Iron RoadWatch as Anne shares the premise of this fabulous movie and book, where the idea for Iron Road originated, the importance of being aware of the role Chinese workers played in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railroad and the different creative processes for film and books. Here's a great interview with Anne on the Chinese television network CC News. Thanks SO much for watching. Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. Nataša Nuhanović author of The Boy's Marble is up next on Nov. 8th!
You can find all about canadian books on YouTube and don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. |
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